'Russian media lies' — Ben Stiller denies claims about USAID funding his Ukraine trip, reposted by Musk

U.S. actor Ben Stiller has denied social media reports on Feb. 5 that the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) funded his humanitarian trip to Ukraine, calling the claims "lies coming from Russian media."

"I completely self-funded my humanitarian trip to Ukraine. There was no funding from USAID and certainly no payment of any kind," Stiller posted on X, adding the claims were "100 percent false."

Stiller's comments came after billionaire Elon Musk reposted a fabricated story on X suggesting that USAID financed Western celebrities' visits to Ukraine.

In his role as a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) goodwill ambassador, Stiller met with Ukrainian families afflicted by Russia’s war in a trip to the country in June 2022.

Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation also dismissed the claim, noting the alleged article in the post boosted by Musk did not exist on the news website it was purportedly from.

"Accordingly, the information it broadcasts is an invention of Russian fake newsmakers," the center said.

Ukraine strikes Shahed-type drone launch site in Russia’s Krasnodar Krai, military claims

“Confirmed hit and explosions in the target area,” the General Staff reported.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

Musk, head of the Department of Government Effectiveness (DOGE) and owner of X, has called USAID "a criminal organization" and claimed that U.S. President Donald Trump agreed to shut it down.

Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation warned that despite X being blocked in Russia, Kremlin propaganda continues to use the platform to spread false narratives.

Since Russia's full-scale invasion, USAID has provided $2.6 billion in humanitarian aid, $5 billion in development assistance, and over $30 billion in direct budget support to Ukraine.

The funding has supported rebuilding schools, financing bomb shelters, and equipping hospitals with advanced medical equipment.

The agency's future remains uncertain as the Trump administration has frozen all international funding for 90 days.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Feb. 4 that foreign aid should advance U.S. interests rather than serve as charity, stressing that the administration does not plan to end all international assistance.

Baltic states to cut energy ties with Russia, join European power grid, AFP reports

Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia will disconnect from Russia’s power grid this weekend and synchronize with the Western European network.

The Kyiv IndependentOlena Goncharova